The ethereal blue butterfly, illusory and dreamlike, fluttered aloft, its dancing silhouette catching Zhu Hui'an's eye, reminiscent of ominous shadows that obscured his vision.

Perception, consciousness, thoughts—all went blank as if an unseen force had erased his mind. Despite the will to resist, the very idea of resistance was extinguished at that moment, making it impossible to summon the triple powers of Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

Amidst this suddenness, Zhu Hui'an was struck by an unexpected attack.

Or rather, a test.

Zhu Hui'an certainly had intentions of investing in Jiang Li, but it wasn't allegiance he offered. Rather, he approached with a kind of consideration—if Jiang Li's performance failed to satisfy him, he would withdraw.

His offering of the "Beichen Discernment" also carried a testing purpose.

Now, it was Jiang Li's turn to test him.

Jiang was tested by others when weak, and now, despite his strength, he faced further trials. Had he not earned the right to forgo them?

A Zhu Hui'an was not qualified to assess the current Jiang Li.

In a quiet moment, the situation shifted, the pale blue Dream Butterfly conveying the Heavenly Escape Sword Intent into Zhu Hui'an's mind, severing thoughts and slaying consciousness. Even a Great Scholar like Zhu Hui'an was momentarily ensnared by the technique.

Yet, he lived up to his reputation as the man most likely to ascend to third-grade after the Sacrificial Officer. As the Heavenly Escape Sword Intent invaded his mind, a burst of Vast Qi retaliated, its powerful sound resounding from nowhere.

"I reflect on myself thrice a day."

A phantom emerged from Zhu Hui'an's body, Vast Qi purifying his mind as if awakening him from a nightmare, returning him abruptly to his senses.

Fifth Grade Venerable Sage Dao Fruit·Zengzi's Divine Power[Three Self-reflections].

The Divine Skill was always with him—if his mind deviated from its normal state, it would instantly realign his Mental State to normal. Such was the power of [Three Self-reflections].

The abrupt Sword Intent was blocked by the Dao Fruit Divine Power. Zhu Hui'an's mind regained clarity, his eyes sparking with sharpness as he raised his hand to defend, "The Master does not speak of strange powers and chaotic gods."

Word Follows Law—the Vast Qi roiled, unleashing the Confucian Secret Technique, disrupting the Sword Intent emitted by the Dream Butterfly, and from his palm burst forth Vast Qi that intercepted a strand of Sword Light that appeared out of thin air.

"A gentleman is discreet when alone."

Invisibility in concealment, distinctness in the minute; thus, a gentleman is cautious when alone. Discretion in solitude implies self-discipline even in private—these words and this practice are the very essence of Confucian cultivation of the heart.

Zhu Hui'an employed both [Three Self-reflections] and "A gentleman is discreet when alone," forging his mental defenses as impregnable as a fortress, and with his fingers aligned, he enacted the Sword technique.

"Wind of the Dancing Yu."

The Sword Qi was pure white, fluttering and scattering like a sprightly wind, yet it carried a sense of solemn sanctity, meeting head-on with the Sword Light shot at him again.

"Clang!"

The collision of Sword Qi and Sword Light rang out like metal striking metal, the scattering Sword Qi entangling the Sword Light like wind patterns, grinding and diminishing it until, by the time it neared Zhu Hui'an, it dispersed into a brisk wind that ruffled his hair and three strands of his beard.

"The Dancing Yu Sword?"

Jiang Li watched as both of his Sword Lights were repelled in vain, yet showed no reaction; instead, he became intrigued by his opponent's displayed Swordsmanship.

The Confucian ultimate technique, the Dancing Yu Sword, was said to have been refined from the essence of Confucian classics by a certain predecessor. Unexpectedly, Zhu Hui'an was also adept at this Swordsmanship.

The so-called Dancing Yu was a ritualistic dance performed during rainmaking ceremonies, where participants would form serpentine lines and earnestly imitate the imagined movements of dragons in dance to worship the Dragon God and pray for rain. Within the categorization of the Confucian School's Cultivation Techniques, such ritualistic practices would fall under the Rites category.

Yet Zhu Hui'an's true dominance in the world lay in the Six Arts, particularly Archery.

With swordsmanship, he was able to counter against two beams of Sword Light, which just showed that Zhu Hui'an had not yet revealed his full strength. He merely used his sword to defend, while his Sword Qi surged like a gentle breeze, transforming into a dragon shape as he counterattacked Jiang Li.

The wind traveled within a small space, not disturbing the stone table or the tea set, yet it surged with an overwhelming force like a lively dragon, revealing the vastness of the world.

However, as this vast force neared Jiang Li, it was like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, merging into him.

The seated figure remained immovable, yet he seemed as ethereal as the clouds on the horizon. This immense Wind Force brushed against him, failing to sway him in the slightest, but instead, it merged with him. In Jiang Li's eyes gleamed the Sword Light, weaving through the complex patterns.

Those two beams of Sword Light had, in fact, been emitted from his eyes.

"Hmm?"

Zhu Hui'an's expression grew solemn as Vast Qi emanated from his body, the energy bursting forth with such intensity that it seemed the night sky turned white, and the flowing text transformed into an exquisite piece of writing.

With a flick of the sword finger, the wind stirred and the energy shifted, the exquisite writing all drawn into it, creating a virtuous wind that swept forth.

Following the Dancing Yu Sword, there was the Junzi Wind; the two ultimate moves of the Confucian School were executed simultaneously. The wind from the Dancing Yu spread for a thousand miles.

"Junzi Wind, yet another technique from the Ministry of Rites."

Upon seeing this, Jiang Li's eyebrows raised. Still, he showed no change in expression and merely lifted his hand slightly, "Wind Form Qi."

As if blending into the wind, Jiang Li's Innate Wind Qi stirred violently. With the raise of his hand, the wind between heaven and earth seemed to be captured by an invisible great hand, creating a Gang Wind that countered the Junzi Wind and the Dancing Yu Sword.

Although the principle of "Word Follows Law" had been already used to disturb magic by invoking, "The Master said not to speak of strange powers and chaotic gods," Jiang Li still managed to manipulate the winds by thought alone.

This palm strike seemed like magic, but it was not; it was, in fact, manipulating the flow of the wind, using the laws of nature for one's own purpose.

One force was the wind of the heavens and earth, the other was the Wind Qi of human effort, and as they clashed, the collision was like a tsunami meeting a storm surge. The wind of the world howled for miles, but in their confrontation, it turned into a gentle breeze that dispersed across the hills and valleys.

"Boom!"

The night wind was chilling but dissipated within the mountains and forests, not disturbing the scenery; yet for Zhu Hui'an, this cold night wind was the coldest killing intent.

He could feel his techniques being absorbed into the other's Wind Force, and as the vast Wind Force dissipated, an invisible, crushing hand seemed to loom over him.

That was the wind!

That was Jiang Li's hand!

"Wind Form Qi..."

Muttering these three words, Zhu Hui'an suddenly shifted to the side, pulling the stone stool with him as he retreated. Simultaneously, his hands grasped at the air as if drawing an invisible great bow, ready to shoot an arrow.

A crack suddenly appeared in the wind, like a thin line, its sharp edge like an arrow, bringing endless fierce sharpness.

Now, Zhu Hui'an finally revealed his true capabilities. The essence energy within him burst forth as he drew the bow, tearing through the invisible wind and shooting forth powerfully.

"Bang!"

The bowstring sounded like thunder, without earth-shattering power or beams of Sword Light cutting through heaven and earth; it contained a principle of returning to simplicity.

Though the Confucian School did not practice magic, their expressions might seem similar, but their essence leaned towards Martial Arts. At that moment, Zhu Hui'an focused his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, without leaking any energy, releasing it solely through one bow.

The sound of this Thunder echoed like natural Heavenly Thunder reverberating in the wind, a fierce gleam piercing forth, targeting the invisible hand. As the two forces collided, a sudden sound of shattering filled the air.

Ssshhh—

As if the space itself was being torn apart, a pitch-black crack appeared, extending from the far side towards the near side.

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